Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-04-22
THE NEW YORK WORLD.
A Paper Of Surprises-Somethins About
Its Sta6.
Especial Correspondence

Paper Of surprises-something About
Its Stan.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, April Is.
The New York World has always been q
paper of extremes When it was started II
1860 it was SO extremely religious that it re
fused theatrical advertisements, and so ex
tremely Improbable that in one year 1t drove
its first editor. Mr.. Alexander Cummings
into the west, into politics and into a terri
torial governorsiiip During the war its ex
treme opposition to the administration made
it some money. Later, under the management
OF Mr. William Henry Hurlburt, it became SC
extremely literary that it reached about as
low an ebb in circulation and influence as il
is possible for newspaper to attain and still
live, and yet c. the time, in the minds Of the
scholars of this country, it was regarded as
the best written paper in New York.
When Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer came on from
st. Louis, in 1888, and purchased it for $500,
100, there was practically nothing to buy but
the Associated Press franchise.
There is something in the first twenty three
years of the history of The World which
points moral for would he newspaper men.
1t proves that newspaper is the servant OF
the public, and when the servant attempts to
out on airs of moral or intellectual superb
ority over its master it ceases to pay.
Under Mr.. Pulitzer The World has at
tempted to attain the extreme Of enterprise
II has advertised, it has boosted of its circu-
alton, of its advertising, and by dint Of per-
sistently footing its own horn it has sue
ceeded in becoming in many respects the
'eading paper Of the metropolis There is no
doubt that to-day The World is a paving
piece OF newspaper property, but that it pays
5he enormous profits which are claimed for it
few old newspaper men believe.
Col. John A. Cockerill is managing editor
If The World at a salary Of $1,000 year.
He is thorough newspaper man, alert, per-
an admirable executive editor and
a clear, forceful writer. He is one of the
most popular newspaper men in New York.
an officer of the Press club, and active H.
every movement for the advancement of tn,
profession.
The World has the largest staff Of anv
naper in New York city. Nearly 60, men
lraw their pay at The World office on Park
row, and it takes over s12, 900 weekly to cover
the pay roll. This is exclusive of the CORE
spondents and occasional writers, who number
about 400.
The World is now practically three papers.
is Brooklyn and New Jersey editions each
having its managing and city editors and
ocal staff. There is no doubt that it is Mr..
Puhtzer's ultimate intention to make three
distinct papers, and the establishment of a
plant i'll Brooklyn is step in this direction
he also thinks Of following the example Of
several of the Boston and Chicago papers and
The New York Sun in issuing an afternoon
sdition.
There is but little gossip about the Office.
All sorts OF run,ors concerning it float around
Park ro", and are the more easily believed
because The World is always doing some
hing surprising. When Col Cockerill went
o Europe some time ago was seriously in
ormed by several old newspaper men that he
lad gone to London to start an English coun
erpnrt of The New York World. Wild as il
cunds: the rumor was seriously canvassed by
men who ought to have known better. But Il
hows the feeling in regard to the paper. We
an calculate pretty closely what most of the
'apers VIII do, but we are prepared to credit
my bold or startling measure which NAV be
imputed to TIE World. If Mr. Pulitzer shCrld
'uy the New York postofiice for his paper, ,
newspaper men would be no more surpri. d
It the evidence of his success than they won /
Ne at his failure il it should stop publicat
o morrow.
1t is paper of surprises, and we are gettiu-
SD to 1t, ALLAN EnRMAN